Food Choice in a Retail Environment

The area of food retailing and consumers′ product preferences is focused on. Valuations in product and price attributes across product categories are investigated. A conceptual framework is developed for analysing food choice situations; product categories and product attributes are identified and measured; the importance of product attributes and the implications for retailers′ marketing mix strategies are assessed. The main conclusion drawn is that for each product category studied (preserves, bakery products, cereals, dairy products, soups, toiletries, fresh meats) customers were looking for different groups of attributes, and different priorities were attached to attributes across product categories.